Lots More Computers in the LMC

Lots More Computers in the LMC
Oct 29, 2001, 6:31pm

Pres. Charles and SVP Mourani join Head Librarian MacDonnell, library staff, student helpers and guests for the ribbon cutting and official opening of the new computer center in the LMC.

On Thursday, October 25th, the Library Media Center celebrated the grand opening of its newly enlarged computer section. Earlier in the month, twenty new PC’s were installed, bringing the total to thirty. Acquiring these additional machines to provide access for the six hundred fifteen students in the Secondary School is a wonderful thing by itself, but there is an added attraction. These thirty computers are arranged in a manner that allows for an entire class to come in with their teacher and be involved in research. In those situations the subject teacher and head librarian Ms Colleen MacDonnell, act as a team answering student questions on subject matter, research methods and technical issues.
IC subscribes, through its library, to a collection of on-line databases making thousands of journals, reference sources and other research materials available to faculty and students. Because they are on-line sources, they can also be accessed by IC students and teachers via the internet at home. In addition, the entire IC library catalogue can be accessed on-line, allowing faculty and students working at home or on campus, to find out what hard-copy sources are available on in the library.

In a space that was limited and underused, the new computer center in the LMC has become a beehive of student activity.

The official opening with ribbon cutting ceremony was on Thursday, but students have been using the new facility to maximum capacity during breaks for the last two weeks.
Many people deserve to be acknowledged for their part in this expansion of our library technology. Funding is through the ASHA(American Schools and Hospitals Abroad)program. We thank the Physical Plant staff for the handsome and functional renovations and the Technical Support Department headed by Radwan Habli, for making it all operational.

Head Librarian Colleen MacDonnell and IT Deptartment Chair Mahmud Shihab, celebrate the advantages of thirty additional computers for research and teaching.